The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases today (February 5).

The value of total receipts of the restaurants sector in the fourth quarter of 2017, provisionally estimated at $29.7 billion, increased by 6.6% over a year earlier. Over the same period, the provisional estimate of the value of total purchases by restaurants increased by 2.9% to $9.5 billion.

After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total restaurant receipts increased by 3.9% in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared with a year earlier.

Analysed by type of restaurant and comparing the fourth quarter of 2017 with the fourth quarter of 2016, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 6.8% in value and 4.2% in volume. Total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 7.2% in value and 4.6% in volume. Total receipts of fast food shops increased by 5.2% in value and 2.2% in volume. Total receipts of bars increased by 4.9% in value and 7.7% in volume. As for miscellaneous eating and drinking places, total receipts increased by 7.1% in value and 3.6% in volume.

Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of total restaurant receipts increased by 2.9% in value and 2.0% in volume in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared with the preceding quarter.

For 2017 as a whole, the value of total receipts of the restaurants sector was provisionally estimated at $112.7 billion, representing an increase of 5.0% in value and 2.3% in volume compared with the whole year of 2016. Over the same period, the provisional estimate of the value of total purchases of restaurants increased by 2.2% to $36.3 billion.

Analysed by type of restaurant and comparing the whole year of 2017 with the whole year of 2016, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 3.8% in value and 1.0% in volume. Total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 6.3% in value and 3.9% in volume. Total receipts of fast food shops increased by 5.7% in value and 2.7% in volume. Total receipts of bars increased by 4.1% in value and 5.2% in volume. As for miscellaneous eating and drinking places, total receipts increased by 5.5% in value and 2.0% in volume.

To facilitate better understanding of the short-term business performance of the restaurants sector, statistics in respect of the restaurant receipts and purchases in individual months of the reference quarter are also compiled.

Analysed by month, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total receipts of the restaurants sector increased by 7.3%, 5.8% and 6.6% respectively in October, November and December 2017, compared with the corresponding months a year earlier.

After discounting the effect of price changes, it was provisionally estimated that total restaurant receipts increased by 4.7%, 3.3% and 3.8% in volume respectively in October, November and December 2017, compared with the corresponding months a year earlier.

Further information

Table 1 presents the revised figures of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant and total purchases by the restaurants sector for the third quarter of 2017 as well as the provisional figures for the fourth quarter of 2017.

Table 2 and Table 3 present the revised value and volume indices respectively of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant for the third quarter of 2017 and the provisional indices for the fourth quarter of 2017.

Table 4 presents the year-on-year rate of change in total restaurant receipts in value and volume terms based on the original quarterly series, as well as the quarter-to-quarter rate of change based on the seasonally adjusted series.

The revised figures on restaurant receipts and purchases for the fourth quarter of 2017 (with breakdown by month) will be released through the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/bbs.jsp) and relevant publications of the department from March 20, 2018.

The classification of restaurants follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.